“You forgot to say ‘Uno’!” Lang Giang cheerfully exclaims before covering her mouth in laughter. It’s the twelfth time she’s caught me this trip and blocked me from winning. By this point in our trek, day four of six, Giang feels more like a friend than my tour guide through Sapa.

Once the sun slips beneath the shimmering waves slathering the sky with soft pinks, reds and oranges, the green lamps of the squid boats strung across the horizon blink on and resemble a series of ellipses as if the ocean is trying to articulate the unsayable.

As the planet-wide dumpster fire that was 2018 comes to a close, we’d like to take a moment to look back at the year in Hẻm Gems through our first-ever Golden Plastic Stool Awards. These will honor some of our favorite local eateries from the past 12 months across four categories: Best Vietnamese Food, Best Non-Vietnamese Food, Best Ambiance and Best Cafe/Bar. We’ll also take a moment to honor our favorite Hẻm Gems that were shuttered this year.

Firmly established as the international school of choice in Ho Chi Minh City, the British International School is a selective, independent and co-educational day school that provides a diverse international education measured by British standards.

FMP’s Saigon International Mother & Baby Association (SIMBA) hopes you and your family had a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year—and is delighted to announce that our SIMBA gatherings will be resumed this month!

There is no shortage of colorful walls in Saigon. Countless photo essay and Instagram posts have depicted these facades, some weather-worn and beaten, others freshly painted or covered in murals illustrating everything from climate change to the importance of conserving rhinos.

One particularly eye-catching mural can be found in hem 144 Pasteur Street, home to Pasteur Street Brewing Company. It’s impossible to miss ‘The Glass’ as you enter the alleyway, and this artwork has nearly become synonymous with the company’s beer. The piece created by Quay, one of the most respected street artists in Vietnam to draw curious eyes into the hem and, judging by the regular crowds snapping photos on their phones, it does just that.

The brand’s now-iconic IPA glass sits at the center of the piece, while to the right there is a list of all of the ingredients which PSBC sources from within Vietnam, as well which region of the country they come from. Think dragon fruit from Phan Thiet and coffee beans from the Central Highlands. This highlights their commitment to keeping the brewery as local as possible, especially through the use of Vietnam’s abundant fruit.

In a nod to old Saigon, the various ingredient and location names are rendered in classic Vietnamese fonts inspired by the city’s old hand-painted signs. These signs are still common in more rural parts of the country, but today they are harder to find in major cities. Such typography has experienced a renaissance in recent years, with hip cafes and restaurants regularly looking to the past for inspiration.

Elsewhere, the mural informs visitors of the ingredients which PSBC has to import, such as grain from Germany and Belgium or hops for the US, New Zealand and Australia. At the bottom right, meanwhile, is list of the countries which the brewery exports beer to, including Malaysia and Hong Kong, and there is plenty of room left for expansion.

Taken together, the artwork portrays the full story of PSBC in one colorfully rendered piece.

This focus on visual storytelling extends to the craft brewery’s cans. Two types of these were released in July, the Jasmine IPA and the Passionfruit Wheat Ale. Both beers are sold in cans which relate their own tale.

The former represents Saigon, where the IPA is made, through essential images such as Ben Thanh Market, the Central Post Office and a retro Vespa entering the city. The label, meanwhile, represents traditional Vietnam and the bountiful exotic ingredients which grow here.

The passionfruit can, meanwhile, represents Da Lat and the namesake fruit grown there. The design incorporates the stunning fields, rolling hills and waterfalls of the popular Central Highlands city, giving customers a preview of the refreshing brew held inside. The image of a woman in an áo dài, picking passionfruit servers as another nod to Vietnam’s past.

The can labels are the work of Rui Ricardo, a well-known Portuguese designer represented by a London-based company called Folio. This attention to detail related to beer cans fits with PSBC’s goal of changing perceptions toward the drinking vessel in Vietnam. Spend time at any of Saigon’s ubiquitous roadside eateries and you’ll quickly notice crates of bottled beer ready for customers.

Bottles, however, are a poor alternative to cans. The latter travel better, are lighter and are more easily recyclable, meaning they are better for the environment. Canned beer also stays good for up to six months, so you don’t have to worry about them going bad like bottled beer. In case one needs more convincing, cans also provide better protection for beer from the sun and oxygen, the two biggest enemies of a brew.

PSBC’s dedication to drawing customers in through unique art has become a major brand touchpoint, while their drive to highlight the benefits of canned beer underscore their commitment to high-quality beer. Next time you’re quaffing a refreshing Jasmine IPA or Passionfruit Wheat Ale, take a moment to reflect on the story told on the can you’re holding.

JavaScript must be enabled in order for you to use Google Maps.However, it seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view Google Maps, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options, and then try again.